India’s largest airline IndiGo will have to inform the country’s aviation regulator this week whether it can continue operating over 2,000 flights a day once its exemption from the new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules for A320 pilots expires on February 10, according to The Times of India.
The revised safety norms substantially increase pilot requirements, putting pressure on flight schedules.
If the airline indicates that it cannot sustain the current number of daily flights under the new rules, authorities are expected to intervene and mandate capacity cuts to prevent a repeat of the large-scale disruptions witnessed in December, the Times of India said.
The aviation regulator recently fined IndiGo a record $2.45 million, issued warnings to senior executives and directed the airline to remove the head of its operations control from his duties after mass flight cancellations last month.
READ: Massive IndiGo meltdown brings India’s aviation system to its knees (
IndiGo had scrapped about 4,500 flights in the first weeks of December, stranding tens of thousands of passengers nationwide. The airline had acknowledged that poor pilot roster planning was the main cause of the disruption.
A probe by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) found several deficiencies at the airline after stricter pilot rest and duty rules came into effect last year, the regulator said in a statement.
According to a Times of India report, the DGCA has been holding regular meetings with IndiGo to assess its preparedness for the post-February 10 scenario. IndiGo shared details of their pilot hiring plans, and has been conducting trial runs using its scheduling software to align available crew strength with the number of flights planned. Persons familiar with the matter told TOI that IndiGo is expected to present a clearer picture of its readiness early next week.
The report also said that from February 1, the airline will begin planning crew rosters strictly in line with the new FDTL norms, without factoring in the temporary exemption that ends later in the month.
The airline already reduced flights for the remainder of the winter schedule, which runs until the last Saturday of March. It plans to operate its full network within these reduced levels under the revised rules.
The aviation ministry and the DGCA are closely monitoring the situation. DCGA’s action was criticized by the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), who called the fine “peanuts”. FIP president Captain CS Randhawa said the regulator’s probe acknowledged disruptions only on December 3, 4 and 5, whereas the turmoil actually stretched until mid-December and was far more extensive.
Captain Randhawa also questioned the regulator’s approach, arguing that issuing a warning letter after such widespread disruption undermined the seriousness of the violation. He further asked why the FDTL exemption had not been withdrawn despite flight cuts, pointing out that the DGCA can levy a penalty of Rs 30 lakh for each day of non-compliance with the new duty norms.
“Does this mean non-compliance with the law can simply be traded for a fine?” he asked, as quoted by the Times of India.
IndiGo responded to the developments saying it remains committed to fully complying with regulatory directions. The airline also said it is undertaking a detailed review of its internal processes to strengthen resilience and ensure it emerges stronger from the episode, while maintaining its operational record of over 19 years.
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